Pasting edge heater

Abstract

An apparatus and method for thermal cycling including a pasting edge heater. The pasting edge heater can provide substantial temperature uniformity throughout the retaining elements during thermal cycling by a thermoelectric module.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for thermal cycling samples, the apparatus comprising:
 a sample retaining element comprising a first surface for receiving a sample containment structure, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a substantially flat edge surface,
 wherein the first surface provides a plurality of sample wells, and 
 wherein the substantially flat edge surface is a third surface located between the first surface and the second surface, and 
 wherein the sample containment structure provides containment for a plurality of samples; and 
 
 an edge heater coupled to the substantially flat edge surface of the sample retaining element, 
 said edge heater adapted to reduce the temperature non-uniformity (TNU) of the sample retaining element;
 wherein the TNU of the sample retaining element is between about 0.25° C. to about 0.50° C. within between about 5 seconds to about 10 seconds of achieving a sample retaining element temperature of about 95° C. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one thermal electric module is in contact with the second surface of the sample retaining element. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising an excitation light source, an excitation light source adapted to induce light to be emitted by the plurality of samples during thermal cycling and a detector. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising an excitation light source a detector adapted to collecting the fluorescent light emitted by the plurality of samples. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the edge heater and the at least one thermoelectric module are separately controlled. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sample retaining element provides a thermal mass for heating and cooling the sample containment structure during thermal cycling. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the edge heater is printed on the substantially flat edge surface of the sample retaining element. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the edge heater is a resistive heater. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling comprises adhesive coupling. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling comprises mechanical coupling. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus for thermal cycling samples, the apparatus comprising:
 a sample retaining element comprising a first surface for receiving a sample containment structure, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a substantially flat edge surface,
 wherein the first surface provides a plurality of sample wells, and 
 wherein the substantially flat edge surface is a third surface located between the first surface and the second surface, and 
 wherein the sample retaining element provides a thermal mass for heating and cooling during thermal cycling; and 
 
 an edge heater coupled to the substantially flat edge surface of the sample retaining element, 
 said edge heater adapted to reduce the temperature nonuniformity (TNU) of the sample retaining element;
 wherein the TNU of the sample retaining element is about 0.25° C. within between about 10 seconds to about 20 seconds of achieving a sample retaining element temperature of about 95° C. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein at least one thermal electric module is in contact with the second surface of the sample retaining element. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising an excitation light source, an excitation light source adapted to induce light to be emitted by the plurality of samples during thermal cycling and a detector. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising an excitation light source a detector adapted to collecting the fluorescent light emitted by the plurality of samples. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the edge heater and the at least one thermoelectric module are separately controlled. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the edge heater is printed on the substantially flat edge surface of the sample retaining element. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the edge heater is a resistive heater. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling comprises adhesive coupling. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling comprises mechanical coupling. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus for thermal cycling samples, the apparatus comprising:
 a sample retaining element comprising a first surface for receiving a sample containment structure, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a substantially flat surface,
 wherein the first surface provides a plurality of sample wells, and 
 wherein the second surface is in thermal contact with at least one thermal electric module, and 
 wherein the substantially flat surface is a third surface located between the first surface and the second surface, and 
 wherein the sample retaining element provides a thermal mass for heating and cooling during thermal cycling; and 
 
 a heater coupled to the substantially flat surface of the sample retaining element, and 
 said heater adapted to reduce the temperature nonuniformity (TNU) of the sample retaining element.